Tag Archives: nasty

The enemies of football are now pariahs of the Premier League… Gourlay should pay with his job for this

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UPDATED:

23:45 GMT, 22 November 2012

For a cabal that has found it easy to spread so much insinuation and so many insults about so many innocent parties, Chelsea cannot bring themselves to utter the one appropriate word.

Sorry was not to be heard in the wind howling down Fulham Road last night. It was as predictable an omission as it was sad.

The FA had found the club’s accusation that referee Mark Clattenburg called John Mikel Obi a ‘monkey’ did not stand up to scrutiny. All logic and instinct had told us that the minute the claim was made on October 28 following Chelsea’s acrimonious defeat by Manchester United.

No evidence: Chelsea's claims about Mark Clattenburg have proved to be unfounded – but they won't say sorry

Sky TV had failed with all 20 of their cameras to pick up the racial slur. The other officials cleared Clattenburg of wrongdoing. Chelsea had a record of intimidation and arrogance.

What is more, Clattenburg speaks with a Geordie accent. Anyone who has spent time in a Newcastle pub will tell you how those tones can be faintly indecipherable to English ears let alone to a Brazilian, namely Ramires, who thought he heard the insult despite the backdrop of a noisy stadium. Ramires’ recollections were translated for the rest of the team by David Luiz, another Brazilian. Mikel, the supposed victim who has good English, did not hear the word monkey spoken.

Despite all this — and after the shameful saga of John Terry, Chelsea’s totem, calling Anton Ferdinand a black **** — the club were going public within hours about Clattenburg’s supposed crime. They also claimed Juan Mata was called a ‘Spanish t***’, an accusation later withdrawn.

Nasty episode: The John Terry race row with Anton Ferdinand brought shame onto the club

Why did they not keep quiet while they considered if a complaint was worthwhile That is a question for Ron Gourlay, the chief executive. A second question for him is: will you resign after this fiascoHarsh Hardly. This is a club drunk on its own oxygen and wealth.

Take Rafa Benitez’s unveiling as the ninth manager of Roman Abramovich’s nine-year reign. He is the latest pawn in a billionaire’s game where normal employment rights — like reward for success — do not count because he can afford to override them.

No wonder the men on the pitch and in the boardroom adopt such high-handedness when the boss sets such a rebarbative example.

The litany of modern Chelsea’s bullying of referees is without parallel in British football.

Remember him Referee Anders Frisk (second left) was forced into retirement by death threats

The crime sheet goes back as far as February 2005, when the then manager Jose Mourinho accused Anders Frisk of collusion with Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard during Chelsea’s defeat at the Nou Camp that saw Didier Drogba sent off. Chelsea were charged with inappropriate conduct and Mourinho was banned from the touchline. Frisk retired after receiving death threats.

Mourinho was cast as an ‘enemy of football’ by UEFA referees’ committee chairman Volker Roth.Since then the wrath has been incited not just on the continent but also closer to home. Chelsea have gone from the enemies of European football to the pariahs of the Premier League.

In November 2006, Graham Poll sent off Terry as Chelsea lost to Tottenham for the first time in 16 years. Terry accused the referee of changing his explanation over why he had shown the red card.The delightful Ashley Cole chimed in, saying Poll had warned Chelsea players he wanted to ‘teach us a lesson’. A fortnight later, Chelsea withdrew the accusation and Terry was fined 10,000.

Who could forget this Ref Tom Henning Ovrebo was subjected to vile treatment from Chelsea fans

Fast forward to May 2009, when Norwegian Tom Henning Ovrebo turned down four Chelsea penalty appeals. Admittedly, it was a shocking refereeing performance but not as wayward as the reaction of Drogba and Jose Bosingwa, who both turned on Ovrebo at the final whistle. Drogba screamed ‘It’s a f***ing disgrace’ into a television camera. Ovrebo was still being subjected to vile emails from Chelsea fans as late as this spring.

Last October after that infamous game against QPR, Chelsea were fined 20,000 for failing to control their players. Drogba and Bosingwa were dismissed in the first half. Manager Andre Villas-Boas called it a ‘very poor display’ — by the referee, that is, not his players.

Jessica Ennis has made the perfect start to the defence of her heptathlon title at the Hypo Meeting in Gotzis – and this time there were no nasty surprises.

Ennis, who on Friday shrugged off claims from an unnamed GB athletics official that she is 'fat', was quick out of the traps in Gotzis.

Superior: Jessica Ennis (left) eased to victory the hurdle event of the heptathlon

On her last competitive appearance at the event, Ennis seemingly ran a personal best of 12.75 seconds in the 100m hurdles, only to later discover that just nine hurdles instead of the required 10 had been set out on the track.

Lean: Ennis quashed claims that she was out of shape by romping to victory in the hurdles

This time all 10 hurdles were present and correct – her coach Toni Minichiello making a point of counting them personally – and Ennis cleared them all in 12.81secs to win the final heat.

That was just 0.02secs outside her personal best, making it her joint second quickest ever run and also a stadium record, while also being worth a 32-point lead over Canada's Jessica Zelinka.

Russia's Tatyana Chernova was 79 points behind in fourth, and Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska 170 points adrift after finishing last in her heat.

Dobrynska revealed on Friday that her training had been understandably disrupted by the death of her husband and coach Dima Polyakov two months ago.

Brook vows to get nasty but highly-rated Jones says he's in for a monster mauling

PUBLISHED:

18:30 GMT, 15 May 2012

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UPDATED:

18:55 GMT, 15 May 2012

Kell Brook has branded his July 7 showdown with highly-ranked American Carson Jones as the last stepping stone to a long-awaited world title shot.

The unbeaten Sheffield welterweight has been on the verge of a challenge for global honours for over a year as he tries to make a final push to the front of the queue.

He is currently riding the crest of a wave having established himself as a box office star in his native Sheffield. After outclassing domestic rival Matthew Hatton earlier this year he now focuses on manoeuvring himself directly towards a world title opportunity, taking on a fighter ranked third with the IBF.

Brook, rated fifth by that body, then hopes to fight the winner of June's clash between Mike Jones and Randall Bailey for the vacant title.

Step up: Kell Brook faces up to Carson Jones in Sheffield

The 26-year-old said: 'It's a big fight. Carson Jones is ranked higher than me and the winner basically goes on to fight for the world title against the winner of Bailey and Jones.

'I'm two fights away from being a world champion now. I've dreamed about this since I was nine years old and so this will be one of the biggest fights of my life.'

Brook came face-to-face with his opponent and said: 'He's said the things he's going to do and that he'll come to my city and do things to me.

'In my last fight I was a bit too nice with Matthew Hatton but in this one, you're going to see the nasty side of me and he's going to get taken out.

'This kid is going to get taken out in style. It's not going 12 rounds. It's going to live up to expectations and an amazing fight. Carson Jones, you need to train hard mate!'

'Thank you, Kell Brook, for making this huge mistake,' he said. 'A lot of your fans are saying a lot but when it comes down to it, you're the only person in the ring and the only person that can fight. Please, please, I'm asking – I'm begging you – please come straight forward and fight like you say you're going to do.

'Because you might be a beast, but I'm a monster. On July 7 I'll show you. I'm sure there are going to be 9,995 Kell Brook fans and about five Carson Jones fans but I'm still going to whoop his a** on the night.'

Brook (27-0, 18KOs) responded to Jones' taunts in kind.

'We're going to war, mate,' he promised. 'We'll stand in the middle of the ring and go toe-to-toe. No backward steps.'

Brook will be supported by two European title fights on the undercard at the Motorpoint Arena, while amateur star Kal Yafai makes his professional debut on the bill.

The duo had earlier claimed two Grade One victories, and Finian's Rainbow topped off the day in style as he overturned defending champion Sizing Europe after a thrilling finish.

Somewhere over the Rainbow: A jubilant Geraghty celebrates his third win of the day

The last fence was dolled off after
an nasty fall on the first circuit and Finian's Rainbow passed the post a
length and a quarter to the good after a long run up the hill.

The two-mile championship was an
incident-packed race with Kauto Stone, half-brother to the great Kauto
Star, crashing out at the very first obstacle.

Wishfull Thinking rocketed to the
front under Richard Johnson and was pulling strongly before clattering
the fence in front of the stands and suffering a nasty fall which saw
him tumble through the rails and apparently into a crowd of bystanders.

That left 4-5 favourite Sizing Europe
in front and Andrew Lynch was obliged to make the running with Geraghty
hunting him round while the other runners just fell away.

Former champion Big Zeb just could not go with them and it had turned into a clear match race some way from home.

A lacklustre leap from Sizing Europe
gave Finian's Rainbow a chance to move upsides and the pair were neck
and neck at the top of the hill. With the last fence out of action due
to Wishfull Thinking's fall, Geraghty held the best position on the
outside and he utilised that to the full as the pair had to steer past
the last.

With his momentum checked slightly
again, Sizing Europe was headed and could not find the extra gear
required to peg back the 4-1 winner. Big Zeb plugged on for a 15-length
third.

Johnson was stretched into the racecourse ambulance as a precaution but was conscious and talking to officials.

Geraghty said: 'It's a brilliant day – you dream of days like this.

'I'm genuinely so delighted for
Michael Buckley (owner), he has a good team of horses and he's been
unfortunate with Spirit Son getting injured.

'He's had a good few disappointments this season, but he's had patience with this fellow and I really am delighted for him.

'I thought he had it to do to be
honest, but he has turned the corner since Ascot. His work has been much
better. “We were hoping he was closing the gap but you couldn't say for
certain that he was there. We know now he was.' Buckley said:

'I'm speechless, to be truthful. I'm
feeling remarkably emotional. “It's true to say I wouldn't have any
jumpers if it wasn't for Nicky. We've been together as owner and trainer
and friends since the early 1980s.

'I can't imagine doing it with anyone
else and this is just another notch in his long career. “He (Henderson)
has scooted past the all-time record (as winning-most trainer at the
Festival) and I'm proud and pleased to be part of the day.'

Henderson said: 'It was a great race
and it was a pity they didn't jump the last fence. It was a tremendous
race between two very good two-mile chasers.

'I'm thrilled for Michael because he's put a lot into this game, he adores it and it's a special day.'

After a goalless first half, the Blues were in control when Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott struck.

But Jermain Defoe profited from Stefan Savic's mistake almost immediately before Gareth Bale levelled with a magnificent curling shot.

Spurs seemed more likely winners after that.

But when Defoe could only turn an injury-time Bale cross narrowly wide as he slid in at the far-post, it gave Balotelli a chance to win the match after he had been fouled by Ledley King.

It maintained City's 100 per cent home record this season and piles the pressure on their rivals, who are all playing catch-up.

Knowing they would be eight points behind if they lost and with personal knowledge of the havoc City are capable of causing following that humiliating 5-1 defeat in August, Tottenham had good cause to make it a tight affair.

Bale threatened on a couple of occasions, and should have made more of the position he found himself in when he checked inside James Milner's sliding tackle.

But Tottenham did not force Joe Hart into a meaningful save in the opening 45 minutes, Scott Parker and Younes Kaboul both firing well wide with long-range efforts.

It took City some time to get going, and even then they were only a sporadic threat.

However, in Sergio Aguero they had the game's most obvious first goalscorer.

Net gain: Defender Joleon Lescott bundled the ball over the line for City's second goal

The club record 38million front-man has looked tired in recent games as he attempted to shoulder the goalscoring burden. Here though, he excelled.

Having had Edin Dzeko nick the ball off his foot when he was lining up a shot at Wigan on Monday, the South American must have been dismayed when the same team-mate got in the way of his efforts to turn home David Silva's cutback.

Aguero's best opportunity came not long afterwards.

Pick that out: Gareth Bale curled home a beauty to haul Spurs back on level terms

In attempting to pass their way out of a tight spot by the touchline, Spurs only ended up getting themselves into trouble as Micah Richards thundered into Parker to seize possession.

Richards strode on into the box, then squared for Aguero, whose shot was superbly turned away by Friedel.

Of the millions of pounds splashed out last summer – and with more set to follow in the last nine days of this transfer window – the signing of a 40-year-old American may turn out to be the most astute.

Right back in it: Jermain Defoe beats Joe Hart to score in an explosive second half

Silva also fired across the face of Friedel's goal – but it was in the second half that the action started in earnest.

In truth, though it ended with a spectacular equaliser from Bale, City boss Roberto Mancini would have been disappointed with the four-goal burst in the space of 10 minutes because it saw his side toss away a winning position.

Not enough: Tottenham celebrate hauling themselves back into the game against City

City took the lead thanks to Silva's brilliant through-ball, which coincided perfectly with Nasri's dash from the left touchline that went completely unchecked even though it took him through the heart of the visitors' defence. The former Arsenal man has his critics but the shot which beat Friedel was blistering and gave the American no chance.

Flashpoint: Balotelli appears to stamp on Scott Parker in the second half before City went on to win

On their next attack, City doubled their advantage as Lescott first stood on Nasri's corner, then, from barely a yard, somehow sent the ball trundling over the line as he fell.

It should have been all over.

That it wasn't was due to Savic's bizarre attempt to reach Hart with a 50-yard back header that succeeded only in letting in Defoe, who rounded Hart, then turned the ball into an empty net.

Bale's blockbuster came five minutes
later, one of those goals a keeper can only shrug their shoulders at
being beaten by, the Welshman's brilliant first-time curling effort from
Aaron Lennon's square pass finding the roof of Hart's net.

The goal frenzy triggered the arrival
of Balotelli, who had already been shown the yellow card when he
tangled with Parker, the initial contact accidental, the second far less
easy to excuse.

That he should remain on the pitch
was a matter for Spurs to reflect on as the Italian coolly converted his
penalty to delight the City fans.

Happy days: City celebrate Balotelli's late winner as they maintain their 100 per cent home record